First Contacts – Life on the Hulks

Today, we have read all about the conditions of life on the Hulks, prison ships, in England in the 1700’s.

Thinking about what we have read and the images we saw, respond to the questions below, using descriptive words and phrases and deep thinking.

◦What is one thing the words tell you?
The words told me…

◦What are two things the pictures tell you?
The pictures told me…

◦What are three things the pictures and words make you wonder?
The pictures made me wonder…

Steven Herrick Poet Visit

On Tuesday March 9, Carey was visited by Steven Herrick, poet and author.

His poems are aimed at children and can be quite funny.

Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend | UQPZoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus - Steven Herrick

Steven Herrick has published twenty-four books for adults, young adults and children. He is widely regarded as a pioneer of verse-novels for children and young adults.

His books have won the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards in 2000 and 2005 and have been on the Children’s Book Council of Australia “Children’s Book of the Year Awards” shortlist multiple times, including

1997 – “Love, Ghosts and Nose Hair”

1999 – “A Place like This”

2001 – “The Simple Gift”

2003 – “Tom Jones Saves the World”

2013 – “Pookie Aleera is not my boyfriend”

2015 – “Bleakboy and Hunter Stand out in the Rain”

2019 – “The Bogan Mondrian”

and have been recognised as an Honour Book in 2004 – “Do-wrong Ron” and 2005 – “By the River”.

This week, we are all going to learn a poem and present it to the class. You could look for one on this site:

Poetry Foundation

These are Mrs Douglas’ favourite poems. They are by A.A Milne, who wrote Winnie the Pooh.

Forgiven

I found a little beetle; so that Beetle was his name,
And I called him Alexander and he answered just the same.
I put him in a match-box, and I kept him all the day …
And Nanny let my beetle out –
Yes, Nanny let my beetle out –
She went and let my beetle out –
And Beetle ran away.

She said she didn’t mean it, and I never said she did,
She said she wanted matches and she just took off the lid,
She said that she was sorry, but it’s difficult to catch
An excited sort of beetle you’ve mistaken for a match.

She said that she was sorry, and I really mustn’t mind,
As there’s lots and lots of beetles which she’s certain we could find,
If we looked about the garden for the holes where beetles hid –
And we’d get another match-box and write BEETLE on the lid.

We went to all the places which a beetle might be near,
And we made the sort of noises which a beetle likes to hear,
And I saw a kind of something, and I gave a sort of shout:
“A beetle-house and Alexander Beetle coming out!”

It was Alexander Beetle I’m as certain as can be,
And he had a sort of look as if he thought it must be Me,
And he had a sort of look as if he thought he ought to say:
“I’m very very sorry that I tried to run away.”

And Nanny’s very sorry too for you-know-what-she-did,
And she’s writing ALEXANDER very blackly on the lid,
So Nan and Me are friends, because it’s difficult to catch
An excited Alexander you’ve mistaken for a match.

Us Two

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:
“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.
Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.“What’s twice eleven?” I said to Pooh.
(“Twice what?” said Pooh to Me.)
“I think it ought to be twenty-two.”
“Just what I think myself,” said Pooh.
“It wasn’t an easy sum to do,
But that’s what it is,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what it is,” said Pooh.“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.
“As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.
“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!
Silly old dragons!”- and off they flew.

“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,
“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,
“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,
It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. “That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

Do you have a favourite poem? Or two? Can you find one and put it in the comments below.

Indian No More

During our last term of the year, our Year 4 classes will be participating in the Global Read Aloud Project (GRA) where classes all over the world connect with each other and discuss their thoughts and predictions about a chosen class novel.

Watch this video to learn more about the GRA.

Indian, No More book cover.

Indian, No More book cover.


The book that has been chosen this year is Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis and Trace Sorell. Read the synopsis below and watch the book trailer, then read the question underneath the video and leave your answer as a comment.

For our international visitors, don’t forget to also tell us where you are from in your comment!

This story is told through 10 year old Regina Petit’s point of view in the 1950s. Her family belong to the Umpqua tribe living on the Grande Ronde reservation. However, when the government enacts a law saying that Regina’s tribe no longer exists, her family must move from their traditional land to Los Angeles. Regina discovers a whole new world in her new neighbourhood. She and her family are faced with challenges of racism and deciding what is important, her family’s culture and traditions or fitting in with the white Americans at school.

 

What is something your family does that is unique to them or your culture?

Indigenous Literacy Day

Indigenous Literacy Day is a national celebration of Indigenous culture, stories, language and literacy.

We would usually recognise this day at school and fundraise for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This year we are recognising this day from home.

We have listened to the beautifully written story, Welcome to Country this morning. It’s warm and vibrant illustrations were captivating.

The author, Aunty Joy Murphy is a senior Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne and surrounds who wrote this story to educate people about the Wurundjeri people, the Welcome to Country and also, to bring people together.

Please leave a comment below, answering the following questions:

Welcome to Country is important because…

Something new I learnt about the Wurundjeri people is…

The First Fleet Arrives in Botany Bay

Our learning journey through history has brought us to 18 January, 1788. The First Fleet have arrived in Botany Bay.

It was Captain Arthur Phillip’s job (who was known as Governor Phillip once the colony was setup), to get the colony up and running and keep everyone alive. He was totally in charge AND totally responsible.

Explore this book and the video below to help you decide on your opinion of how Governor Phillip looked after the colony.

What is your opinion on Governor Phillip? Did he do a good job? Explain your thoughts below as a comment.

Life on the Hulks

Our reading this week focusses on prison hulks that were used to house convicts who had been sentenced to transportation in England in the 18th century.

Hulks

Reflecting on what we have read together, think about the following questions and leave your responses as a comment.

  • What is one thing the words tell you?

  • What are two things the pictures tell you?

  • What are three things the pictures and words make you wonder?

 

Investigating Explorers

Part of our Integrated History unit this term, ‘First Contacts,’ is to understand why people might have undertaken long journeys to far away places.

We are going to begin this term investigating explorers who went in search of The Great Southern Land before we were officially colonised by Britain in 1788.

Watch the video below, and using post it notes, take notes about:

  • What do you SEE?

  • Based on what you see, using your inferring skills, what does that make you THINK of?

  • What do you WONDER might be going on or WONDER further about this topic?

Leave your observations as a comment on this post.

National Simultaneous Story Time

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.

This year it is taking place on Wednesday 27th May. Our online learning for the day will all revolve around this story.

Whitney and Britney are two gorgeous chooks who live alongside Dora von Dooze. But Dora is perplexed – why do her dear chickens seem to sleep all day long? Dora decides to snoop. She follows the chooks out at night to the local jazz club where she discovers, to her amazement, that they are Whitney and Britney: Chicken Divas!

Like Whitney and Britney in the book, what would you night-time secret career be if you had one? Leave is a comment below.

Oh, don’t forget to also post your completed task from our Whitney and Britney Choice Board to this Padlet:

 

Made with Padlet

Homophones

Homophones are two or more words which have the same pronunciation but have different meanings or word spellings.

In Year 4 this week we have been investigating these word pairs and have created short skits to demonstrate our knowledge of the difference between two homophones.

Made with Padlet
Made with Padlet

 

Create your own video and add it to our Padlet wall OR try to use a pair of homophones in the same sentence and leave it as a comment.